Basement waterproofing basics
Preserving your home’s basement is essential in order to maximize the value and space that you have in your property. A big part of basement care involves waterproofing it, so you need to know something about the basement waterproofing measures that have been done or are going to be done for your home.
Exterior waterproofing
One major way to boost the waterproof quality of your basement is to make sure that the property has been waterproofed not only from the inside, but also on the outside. Many people opt not to go this route because of the time, effort, and costs needed for exterior waterproofing, but if you can, you should definitely go for this. It can be a costly mistake to neglect it.
By digging up the ground around your house, all the way to the bottom of your home’s foundation walls, contractors will be able to install a complete layer of waterproofing around the basement. For additional waterproofing measures, drainage panels will also be installed atop this membrane or coating. The panels will allow water to flow down through a drain and away from the home’s foundations.
There is a lot of labor and materials involved. Make sure you inquire about the costs from a number of contractors so you know what you’re getting for the amount you need to shell out. The best option for Baltimore Basement Waterproofing is Anchor Waterproofing. They will beat any competitor estimate and have an excellent reputation.
Interior waterproofing
In case your budget can’t accommodate exterior methods, don’t worry—there are still interior basement waterproofing measures to help keep the moisture and leaks out. This mainly deals with the inside of the basement walls.
A number of materials can be used here. You may have encountered concrete coatings that, like cement, stay stuck on a concrete wall. There are also sealers that are silicate-based. Panels made out of plastic are also used. Another type is an acrylic-based waterproof paint. There are numerous techniques, and it’s important to use a reputable waterproofing contractor.
Apart from the plastic sheets/panels option, which would entail having a complete basement drainage system backed by a sump pump, you likely won’t have to shell out too much for good materials. The paint should also be very reasonable, but the cost will depend on how much wall you need to cover. Be aware that this specialized paint won’t cover as much wall area as regular paint.
Of course, before you do any interior waterproofing on your home, you first need to make sure that you plug any gaps and seal up cracks on your basement walls. Otherwise, all your waterproofing—not to mention the cash you just spent—will go to waste. You can use epoxy for the troublesome cracks and polyurethane chalk for the smaller ones. As is the case with many big home maintenance or repair jobs, this is usually best left to a professional basement waterproofing company.
A properly waterproofed basement will let you enjoy comfort and utility for a long time, so make sure you think long and hard about the options and measures available. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, and your particular property needs to be taken into consideration in order to come up with a proper basement waterproofing approach.
Anchor Waterproofing is Baltimore Maryland’s Premier Basement Waterproofing Company. Call us for a free estimate. We will beat any competitor’s estimate!
